Recently, a variety of electronic devices employ a touch panel allowing an input through a touch of an image displayed on a display device by means of an input device including a finger, a stylus and the like.
Such a touch panel may be roughly classified into a resistive membrane type touch panel and a capacitive type touch panel. The resistive membrane type touch panel detects a position through a short circuit between a glass and an electrode due to a pressure of an input device. The capacitive type touch panel detects a position by sensing a variation of capacitance between electrodes when a finger touches the capacitive type touch panel.
A performance of the resistive membrane type touch panel may be degraded due to a repetitive use and scratches may occur. Therefore, interest in the capacitive type touch panel having a superior durability and a long lifespan is rising.
The capacitive type touch panel is defined as an active area at which a touch instruction input is available, and an unactive area surrounding the active area. An electrode pattern provided at the active area is formed of a transparent conductive material so as to transmit light from a display device, and a wiring pattern provided at the unactive area is formed of a conductive material.
Bended, foldable, flexible display devices have been recently developed, and a bended touch panel is required for implementing such display devices. When a touch panel is bended, there is a problem in which a defect of the touch panel is caused by generation of cracks in the electrode pattern and the wiring pattern, or in a cover film.